Production well telemetry system and method

Abstract

A downhole production well control system is provided for automatically controlling downhole tools in response to sensed selected downhole parameters. The production well having a production tubing string therein with multiple branches, i.e., zones. Communication and transmission of power (i.e. telemetry) over the production tubing string is by way of a combination of a hardwire system in the main borehole and a short hop system at the branches or laterals. Each zone includes a downhole control system and appropriate completion devices for controlling fluid flow. An acoustic or electromagnetic transceiver is associated with each control system for communication and/or transmission of power. An electrical conductor runs from the surface downhole along the production tubing string in the main borehole for communication and/or transmission of power, hardwired systems are well known. The conductor is connected to an acoustic or electromagnetic transceiver disposed at the production tubing string in the main borehole near each branch. These transceivers communicate with and/or transfer power to corresponding transceivers at the branches (i.e., short hop communications), which is communicated and/or transferred along the production tubing string on the conductor (i.e., uphole or downhole).

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A system for telemetering signals in a production well between a first completed zone and a second completed zone, comprising: 
       a cable disposed in said first completed zone for telemetering signals in said first completed zone;  
       a data gathering device disposed in said second completed zone; and  
       a data transmission device in communication with said cable, said data transmission device being disposed in said first completed zone for transducing said signals between said data gathering device and said data transmission device within the well to provide communication between said data gathering device and said data transmission device wherein said signals comprise communication signals.  
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  wherein said well includes a primary well and at least one lateral well and wherein: 
       said first zone is located in said primary well and said second zone is located in said lateral well.  
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2  further comprising: 
       a lateral cable disposed in said lateral well for telemetering said signals in said lateral well, said data gathering device transducing said signals between said data gathering device and said lateral cable.  
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1  wherein said cable comprises a wire for electrically telemetering said signals in said first zone. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 3  wherein said lateral cable comprises a wire for electrically telemetering said signals in said lateral well. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  wherein said cable comprises an optical cable for optically telemetering said signals in said first zone. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 3  wherein said lateral cable comprises an optical cable for optically telemetering said signals in said lateral well. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1  wherein each of said data gathering and data transmission devices comprise at least one of an electromagnetic receiver and an electromagnetic transmitter. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1  wherein each of said data gathering and data transmission devices comprise an antenna. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1  wherein said communication signals comprise at least one of data signals and command signals. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 1  wherein each of said data gathering and data transmission devices comprise at least one of an acoustic receiver and an acoustic transmitter. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11  wherein each of said data gathering and data transmission devices comprise a stack of piezoelectric elements or magnetorestrictive elements. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 1  including production tubing extending between said first and second zones and wherein said production tubing comprises a medium for acoustically transducing said signals. 
     
     
       14. A method of telemetering signals in a production well having a first completed zone and at least one second completed zone, comprising: 
       transducing signals between a data gathering device disposed in said second completed zone and a data transmission device in said first completed zone, said data transmission device being in communication with a cable disposed in said first completed zone; and  
       telemetering signals using said cable disposed in said first completed zone wherein such telemetering of said signals within said well is between said data gathering device and said data transmission device and wherein said signals comprise communication signals.  
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14  wherein said well includes a primary well and at least one lateral well and wherein: 
       said first zone is located in said primary well and said second zone is located in said lateral well.  
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15  wherein telemetering said signals using said cable comprises: 
       electrically telemetering said signals using said cable.  
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15  wherein said telemetering said signals using said cable comprises: 
       optically telemetering said signals using said cable.  
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15  wherein said communication signals comprise at least one of data signals and command signals. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15  wherein said transducing of said signals comprises acoustic transducing of said signals. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15  wherein said transducing of said signals comprises electromagnetically transducing of said signals.